


all you have is your fire

by TraughtNotDistraught



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, please
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2018-04-26
Packaged: 2019-03-30 20:06:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13959027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TraughtNotDistraught/pseuds/TraughtNotDistraught
Summary: [REVISED]When surveillance footage of a doctor conducting an autopsy on a living man is released, Abigail is tasked with putting out the fire. But when the number of reports of the dead coming back to life increases, she realizes things may not be so easy.She hadn't wanted to believe it. Now she has no choice.What ensues is a whole lot of death, destruction, and fear as she fights to make it back to her family but when a nasty wound leaves her incapacitated, she soon finds herself stranded at a quarry surrounded by a group of people who think she's one of the dead.All she has to do now is try and convince the angry cop with the shotgun not to shoot her.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is very much an introductory chapter more than anything
> 
> edit: if you're revisiting this story, you'll notice some significant changes

 

CHICAGO, IL

_6 days since the Global Outbreak_

 

The sounds of heels click-clacked against the pavement in a steady beat as the city breathed around her. Emissions from a passing bus caused nearby pedestrians to curl their lips in disgust before crossing the busy intersection. Amongst them walked a woman in a silent hurry.

 

Dark sunglasses sat perched on the bridge of her nose as a manicured hand wrapped itself against a now-empty cup of coffee. Her heels carried her further through the city until she reached the street-corner of her destination. Behind the mask of her glasses, her eyes rolled and a small groan slipped out of her at the sight of crowds huddled around the front of the hospital she was about to enter.

 

 

Drawing more polluted air into her lungs, she crossed the road and made a beeline for the back entrance used only by staff. There she was greeted by two security guards.

 

"ID?"

 

"I work here," she huffed. "PR? Judging by the horde out front, you kind of need me." The two men shared a look before shrugging simply.

 

"No badge, no entry."

 

"Fine." The woman pulled a small purse out from under her arm, quickly rummaging through the contents of it. As she did, the frustration mounted in her face when she realized she had left her badge on the counter at home. "Shit."

 

Looking back at the security guards, she sighed.

 

"Mind if I make a call?"

 

"Go ahead."

 

Turning away from the pair, she pulled up the number of her co-worker and pressed 'call'. Her foot tapped impatiently as she waited for him to answer.

 

" _Abigail, where the hell are you?_ "

 

"Max! I'm stuck outside with security. You mind coming down to get me?" She heard the man sigh, no doubt exhausted by her.

 

" _I'm on my way now._ "

 

Abigail's eyes shut in quiet relief. "Ugh, you're a life saver."

 

Hanging up, she pivoted on her foot, smiling briefly at the guards while they waited for Max to arrive. He eventually did, sticking his head out of the door to survey her.

 

"It's okay, she's with me," he said while flashing his own ID. The men accepted it and moved aside long enough for Abigail to slip through.

 

Max wasted no time hurrying her along.

 

"You're twenty minutes late."

 

"Really? I hadn't noticed," she answered sarcastically. Max rolled his eyes in response as they made their way to the elevator.

 

"Here," he said once the doors closed. Glancing down, Abigail spotted a fresh cup of coffee in his hand. She breathed a sigh of relief and took a gulp as Max continued speaking. "Dina's pissed. I don't blame her. The board's been breathing down her neck ever since that footage got leaked."

 

Abigail frowned, the lip of her coffee cup hovering above her mouth. "What is it this time? Anti-vax protestors?"

 

At her question, Max's brow raised and he turned to face her fully. She registered the disbelief in his eyes.

 

"Wait, you haven't seen it?" He watched as she shrugged and laughed in shock. "Abi…you're kidding, right?"

 

"No, Max I'm not." Wiping a piece of hair out of her eyes, she faced the opening doors. "I was busy last night."

 

"Did you not listen to the radio on the way over or watch the morning news?"

 

She didn't bother responding as they came to the Hospital Director's office. Max gave her another disbelieving look before knocking. Hearing the all clear, the two filed in to see their boss, Dina, standing across from the head doctor.

 

"Glad you could join us," said Dina. Her spine was rigid as she stood by the Doctor's desk. "Have a seat."

 

Abigail and Max shared a look where he raised his brow as if to say 'I told you so'. She fixed him with a quick glare as they sat down. Together they watched their boss take a few steps forward. Her arms were crossed and it was clear by the tension in her brow that she was stressed.

 

"I assume the two of you saw the mob outside the doors."

 

"Hard to miss," scoffed Abigail, placing her drink down on the coffee-table.

 

Beside her, Max cleared his throat. "Abigail actually hasn't seen the video yet."

 

Intrigue flooded her boss' eyes as she felt her stare wear down on her.

 

"Why not?"

 

Mentally cursing her co-worker, Abigail cleared her throat. "I had some personal things to deal with yesterday," she said, secretly hoping that they wouldn't pry. "I wasn't exactly aware of any developments until I got here."

 

Dina hummed, seemingly disinterested in her employee's personal life, and turned her head to the doctor standing by the desk.

 

"In that case, allow me to fill you in. Max, your phone." The man fumbled around in his suit jacket for a moment before placing the device in her awaiting palm. It was silent as Dina pulled up the video. Turning it to face Abigail, she pressed play.

 

The footage was obviously taken via a security camera and Abigail watched with quiet fascination as a pathologist performed a regular autopsy. She grimaced to herself; a little squeamish when it came to cutting through flesh and guts. Her mood shifted however at the sight of the supposedly-dead man regaining consciousness.

 

Her eyes narrowed, making sure that she was seeing what she thought she was. It started small, a curl of the fingers and the twitch in his neck. The doctor seemed to be oblivious to any of it as he traced his scalpel along the man's chest only to see the man begin thrashing wildly.

 

Abigail's eyes were wide with horror as she watched the two struggle against one another. Just as she saw the man on the table lurch for the doctor's neck, the video cut off leaving her staring at her reflection on the blank screen.

 

"That happened here?"

 

Dina nodded and handed the phone back to Max. "Four days ago."

 

"And you knew?" She asked incredulously.

 

"Of course. But we had to make sure that we figured out a way to deal with it before the press found it." Dina's mouth pinched. "Unfortunately for us, it leaked yesterday afternoon."

 

Abigail shook her head, still trying to make sense of things. "Why was he doing an autopsy on a living person?"

 

"We're still figuring it out. Doctor Freeman assures me that the patient had been announced dead prior to being taken down into the morgue."

 

"He didn't look very dead…"

 

"He was," said Dr. Freeman, entering himself into the conversation. "For six hours."

 

"And what? His body just decided to start up again?"

 

The man eyed Dina silently causing the woman to straighten with a sigh.

 

"A team of experts are looking into it as we speak but any details won't be available for disclosure until they reach a verdict," she explained carefully, knowing that she wouldn't like the sound of that.

 

"Can we see the doctor?"

 

Dina and Dr. Freeman shared another look.

 

"I'm afraid Dr. Pascal has been moved to the CDC's quarantine station."

 

Unfazed, the woman shrugged. "Okay, so I'll go down and talk to him."

 

"That's not possible," said Dr. Freeman, his tone clipped.

 

Abigail raised an eyebrow. "And why not?"

 

"Dr. Pascal has undergone significant… stress and his exposure to the patient has meant that he is a potential biohazard."

 

Abigail's eyes flicked to Dina's who stared at the ground. She scoffed.

 

"This is bullshit-"

 

"Abigail!"

 

The woman in question scoffed and rose from her seat.

 

"How are we supposed to convince the people that that doctor wasn't performing on a living person if we can't  _ **speak**_  to the doctor?"

 

"Once Dr. Pascal is cleared, I'm sure he will be more than willing to clear things up."

 

Abigail shook her head, still not satisfied. "Did you see the people out front? That crowd is going to get even worse if you don't start giving me something to work with."

 

"We're already drafting a statement for the press," said Dina in an attempt to diffuse the situation. "While we're aware of the public unrest, our main focus remains as it always has been; maintaining the image of Chicago Mercy as an efficient and caring medical institution."

 

Turning to the man beside her, Dina pleaded with her eyes.

 

"If there is any information you're allowed to disclose please do so. Skirting around the truth too much won't have amazing results once the dust settles."

 

"I'm sorry but do you really expect me to put the fate of this hospital into the hands of someone who didn't even know what was going on until five minutes ago?"

 

"You won't  **have**  a hospital if you let this go on untouched," shot back Abigail, her eyes narrowed dangerously. She didn't trust the situation. She didn't trust him.

 

Dr. Freeman eyed her carefully before turning to Dina.

 

"Your team has three days to get this under control and satisfy the investors or we'll find another firm to deal with."

 

Dina's shoulders slumped in relief and she nodded.

 

"That's fair enough."

 

Gesturing with her chin, she watched Max and a hesitant Abigail file out of the office leaving her alone with the doctor. She could see the disdain on his face for the other woman and sighed.

 

"You'll have to forgive Abigail. She may be direct but she knows what she's doing."

 

The man seemed unconvinced as he sent one last look at the closed door.

 

"She'd better. For all our sakes."

 

Outside the office, the topic of conversation stood beside a water cooler as Max poured himself a drink.

 

"Crazy right?"

 

Abigail shrugged, her lips quirking. "Must be pretty bad if they're not telling us everything."

 

"When have they ever?" Responded Max before taking a sip of the cold water. His lips smacked together at the refreshing taste as his eyes fell on his friend. She seemed pre-occupied as she toyed with the thin silver chain around her neck.

 

"What do you think it is?" He asked, snapping her out of her daze.

 

Looking at him, she blinked. "Huh?"

 

Max gestured around them. "The video."

 

"Oh…" Abigail took a moment to think on it. She raised her drink in a small shrug. "The hospital made a mistake, ID'd the guy as dead when he wasn't and are trying to cover it up to protect their image. Nothing we haven't dealt with before."

 

Max seemed unconvinced as he took in the signs of another sleepless night that she had tried to cover up with a thin layer of make-up.

 

"What did you get up to last night?"

 

Abigail pondered it for a moment and shrugged. "Not much. You?"

 

He shook his head. "Same here." He sipped his water. "Didn't you say you were busy last night?"

 

"Did I?"

 

"Yeah, when we were talking to Dina."

 

The woman pursed her lips. "Oh, I hadn't realized."

 

"Abigail…"

 

"Max…" she responded mockingly. Catching his look, she huffed. "I just had a few drinks last night that's all…"

 

He didn't seem completely satisfied with her answer. In fact, he seemed even more worried.

 

"How many?" He asked, leaving no room for her to get out of it.

 

Abigail's jaw clenched in annoyance.

 

"Can we not do this right now?" She said, dragging a tired hand over her face. "Dina's stressing out about whatever the hell that video was and I don't know about you but I'd like to keep my job."

 

Not giving him an opportunity to respond, she pushed herself off of the wall and walked back towards the elevators. It was too early for this shit.

 

/

The remainder of the day seemed to drag on forever and it reached the point where Abigail thought she would never see the outside of Chicago Mercy ever again. Freeman had kept them in their offices working on a plan on how they were going to convince the public that they hadn't royally screwed up.

 

Abigail seemed to be at her wits end and the rest of her team weren't far behind her. Dina, in particular, had taken to pacing the boardroom as they rattled off suggestions. Extra security had been placed outside the entrance of the hospital, keeping the crowds away from the doors so that paramedics could do their job as easily as possible.

 

Abigail watched from the eighth floor window as another dozen showed up. She had to admit, their resilience was admirable given how late it had gotten. Some had already left but she had no doubt that they would be back in the morning. Observing them for a minute, she rolled her eyes and let the blinds fall closed once again.

 

"Any luck with Freeman?" She asked, directing her question at her boss.

 

The other woman sighed and shook her head. "Not yet. CDC is examining the body as we speak. Hopefully, we'll get some information in the morning so we can set up a press conference in the afternoon."

 

Max, who had been half-asleep in his chair, piped up.

 

"Well then…as much as I love sleeping in a cold office, I'd much rather the comfort of my own bed." No-one stopped him as he rose from his chair and made his way to the door. A chorus of 'goodbyes' sounded out before he left.

 

Abigail similarly made for her belongings.

 

"I think I'm gonna do the same. I'll see you tomorrow." As her hand went to grab the handle, she heard her name being called and looked back at Dina.

 

"Try to get here on time."

 

Abigail nodded and left.

 

/

It was almost one in the morning by the time she got home.

 

The place was dead silent as she walked inside, a grim feeling she was still getting used to. She made her way into the kitchen, dropping her keys off on the counter before making a beeline for the top shelf. She eyed the bottle of dark liquor warily. She didn't need it, not really. She had lived without it before. She knew she could.

 

But she grabbed it anyway.

 

Quickly, so as to not second-guess her decision again, Abigail popped off the cap and poured herself a healthy serving. Her nails click-clacked against the countertop.

 

"May as well," she muttered.

 

She took her first sip. Then another one.

 

But she knew she had to pace herself. She tried to think back to the lessons she had learned, all those helpful little mottos she had been told, but the alcohol had kicked them right out of her mind.

 

So she had another sip.

 

Keeping the glass in her hand, she made her way over to the phone and pressed down on her 'messages' button. She leaned back against the cupboard waiting for the beep.

 

" _Hey Abi…_ " the woman's head lifted at the voice and she resisted the urge to take another drink. " _I tried callin' last night but you were probably asleep._ " She hadn't been. " _Anyway, I just wanted to check in, make sure you were taking care of yourself._ " Oh, she was. " _I've been counting down the days until you're home…Love you._ "

 

Abigail's jaw rolled as she fought to keep the tears at bay.

 

"Love you too, sis," she murmured as the second beep signaled that that was the end of the message.

 

/

 

_12 days later_

The squeak of the brakes as the car came to a stop was the only noise that rang out at the desolate gas station. Before cutting the engine, Abigail eyed the petrol meter to see that she was running on a quarter of a tank. It would be enough for now but if push came to shove, she would have to siphon some gas later on.

 

It was eerily quiet as she hopped out to survey the place. The world had gone to shit just over a week ago and yet the place looked like it had been abandoned for months. An incessant buzzing filled her ears causing her to swat aimlessly at an annoying fly.

 

She approached the entrance cautiously as a hand moved to rest against the gun tucked into her belt. It felt strange even having to carry one on her person; the cold of the steel sending a shiver down her spine. Her face pressed against the window to try and get a better look inside.

 

So far, so good.

 

It didn't look like there were any of the turned inside and so, carefully, Abigail made her way inside. Her first stop was the food aisle where she packed whatever snacks she could find into the two bags she had brought with her. While she was at it, she also grabbed the remaining water bottles from the fridges. They were slightly warm given that the power had been cut off for the last two days.

 

She trod around the store, eyeing the little bits and pieces that had been left behind. She had been lucky with this place. Once everyone found out that the end of the world had arrived, mass chaos had erupted and survival instincts had kicked in as everyone fought tooth and nail over whatever they could get their hands on.

 

Abigail came to a stop in front of a display for sunglasses and decided it wouldn't be a bad idea. She trialed three that she liked before settling on her favorite.

 

Pushing them up to rest on her head, Abigail grabbed whatever else she thought would come in handy before zipping up the bags and heading to the door. Before she left, however, she paused to glance behind the counter where the alcohol and cigarettes were being kept. Her foot tapped in thought until she finally gave up and grabbed one of each.

 

Happy with what she had gathered, Abigail returned to where she had parked the car. She dropped the two bags to the ground and opened up the back door. As she did, a pair of feet that had previously been resting against the door, fell over the edge of the seat. Abigail nudged the sneakers causing the person to stir awake.

 

"How you feelin'?" Inquired Abigail, tilting her head to get a better look at him.

 

There was a slight groan from the man as Abigail crouched down and began digging through their loot.

 

"Ugh. I feel like shit."

 

The woman sighed and gestured for him to join her. "Come on. Scoot on out."

 

Focusing on the bags, she heard a low grunt of effort and raised her eyes to see Max emerge from the back seat and slowly maneuver himself down onto the cement. Abigail, sensing his exhaustion, helped to lean him up against the car.

 

"I got you some water and some ibuprofen," she said, opening both up. "It should help with the fever."

 

Max chuckled wryly but obliged nevertheless, even allowing Abigail to practically feed him the water.

 

Once she pulled away, he wiped at his mouth and groaned. "Why are you doing this?"

 

Abigail frowned at his question, finding it stupid. "Why do you think I'm doing this?" Max shrugged in response causing her to sigh. "Because you're my friend and I care about you."

 

"You should just leave me here-" Max paused to cough into his arm. "I'm dead already."

 

"You don't know that," refuted Abigail with a firm shake of her head.

 

Taking the bottle from her hands, Max took another gulp that was quickly cut off by another coughing fit. In front of him, a crouched Abigail retracted her head to avoid any of the spray.

 

"Sorry," grimaced Max, avoiding her eyes.

 

"It's okay." Screwing the lid back on, Abigail packed it away and faced Max once again. "Let me see it."

 

The man gave her look that did little to change her mind. She quirked a brow and nodded her chin at him.

 

"Let me see it," she repeated more forcefully.

 

Rolling his eyes, Max slowly lifted the hem of his shirt to reveal a nasty bite. Abigail winced, seeing that it had worsened since earlier that morning. Max regarded her reaction sarcastically as he stared up at her with half-lidded eyes.

 

"Like I said. I'm dead already."


	2. Chapter 2

 

**12 HOURS EARLIER**

Abigail had lost track of how long they'd be driving for. It didn't help that once the world had decided to stop, every minute of every hour of every day seemed to blend together into one big mess. 

 

Beside her, Max sat fidgeting with the radio. He had been doing so the whole journey. In intervals of an hour, he would play around with the stations in search of any broadcasts. The static would be the only noise throughout the car as he did so. 

 

They had lost contact with the outside world two days ago. After that went the power, save for those who were smart enough to invest in backup generators. It was unsettling, to say the least; feeling like they were all alone. 

 

Max continued to play with the radio, much to Abigail's annoyance, as she stared out at the road and the sky above it. It was during moments like these where she felt so hopeless that she would question whether or not there really was a God, and that, if there was, why he was so cruel as to subject them to this life. Faith wasn't something she had cared too much about. Her mother, on the other hand, had carried it in abundance. 

 

It all seemed pointless to her now. 

 

Still, she tried to keep at least some of what her mother had taught her alive, though Max was making it difficult to cope. At the sound of static crackling in her ears, Abigail's annoyance grew. Her teeth clenched down as her passenger continued unknowingly. 

 

"Max!" She finally broke causing the man beside her to startle. He stared at her wide-eyed like he'd been caught in the middle of an act. "Do you mind?" 

 

Quickly, Max switched off the radio and sat back in his seat. "Sorry." 

 

Abigail's tongue rolled against the inside of her teeth as she glanced beside her. Almost instantly, she felt guilt bubble up inside of her for being so short with him. They were both on edge and she knew that it was just his way of distracting himself from the horrors that they had seen. 

 

Seeing her grumpiness, Abigail sighed. "No. I'm sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean to snap at you."

 

"I get it," said Max, nodding in understanding. The woman beside him smiled back gratefully as he turned his head forward. "How long do you think it'll take us to reach Atlanta?"

 

"Usually, about half a day. But in this," she gestured to the upcoming line-up of cars. "Who knows. Once we get off the highway and onto a back road we should be fine."

 

Her fingers curled around the wheel tightly, hoping that she was right. Max, seeing this, decided to comment on it. 

 

"We'll get there in time."

 

Abigail met his gaze and shook her head. "I sure hope so." 

 

Looking ahead, Max took note of a massive build-up of cars. 

 

"What the hell is going on?" He said, leaning forward to get a better look. 

 

"I don't think they're moving," replied Abigail, bringing the car to a stop. They sat idly for a few minutes just looking around for another person but to no avail.

  

"We should check it out," suggested Max, already undoing his seatbelt. 

 

Instantly alert, Abigail stopped him.  "Wait! It could be dangerous. Surely these people didn't just abandon their cars for no reason." 

 

"How else are we supposed to get through?" Not waiting for her response, Max got out of the car and headed towards the build-up.  

 

Abigail remained seated and watched anxiously as he walked between the cars, peeping into each one. She didn't like the feeling of being stranded on the highway with no-one else around. The sun had already gone down and they had learned that the turned were more active during the night. 

 

She absently chewed on her nail; a nervous habit she had carried with her since she was a child. Max had wandered further on down the road to the point where she could barely make him out. Against her better judgment, she finally relented and joined him. 

 

When he saw her approaching, he nodded his head to the bag she had on her shoulder. 

  

"Hey, you still got that flashlight?"

 

She nodded and grabbed it out. Tossing it towards him, Max caught it easily and switched it on. He shone the light into the cars, searching for any clues as to what happened. 

 

They weaved between the cars for a few minutes, looking into each one and finding nobody. Abigail could see the unease on Max's face as each car turned up empty save for bags and belongings that had been shoved in hurriedly. 

 

They moved past another car and Abigail paused at the sight of an empty car seat. Gulping, she averted her eyes and rushed to meet up with Max who had come to a stop a few cars up. She didn't want to think about that.  

 

When she reached Max, she noticed him shining the flashlight up ahead, trying to get a rough idea of the scope of the cars. 

 

"This line goes for at least another mile," he concluded before glancing at her worried face. 

 

"How the hell are we supposed to get through that?"

 

Max shrugged in response and lowered the light. "We could grab our stuff and find a car closer to the end. Shouldn't be too hard to find a car with some keys left in the ignition."

 

Seeing the logic in that, Abigail nodded. "Alright, let's go then."

 

/

  

Abigail stared at the worsening bite, noting the veins becoming more prominent as the skin grew more yellow with infection. 

 

"Like I said," groaned Max against the car. "I'm dead already." 

 

She grimaced, not letting his words get to her. Instead, her eyes hardened as they raised to meet his. 

 

"You're not dead until I say you are." Placing a hand on her knee, she pushed herself up. "I'm gonna use the bathroom. You need anything else?" 

  

Max shook his head and reached for the water bottle. "Nah, I'm good."

 

With a nod, Abigail headed around the side of the gas station to where she figured the toilets were. Much to her surprise, the water was still working - a godsend nowadays. 

 

She washed her hands and glanced up into the mirror only to realize just how disheveled she looked. Her eyes had dulled, mainly from a lack of sleep and her hair was suffering from a lack of shampoo or conditioner. What she wouldn't do just to experience a hot shower or hell, any shower. 

 

The cold weather was refreshing against her skin as she scrubbed her face. She had forgotten just how terrible Georgian summers could be. Finishing up, Abigail took a moment to lean against the basin and collect her thoughts. She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, trying to summon as much strength as was humanly possible. 

 

Feeling a little more rejuvenated, she opened the door and stepped outside only to frown at the sound of another vehicle approaching. Quietly, she stayed against the wall of the station and moved towards the front. Her eyes widened as she peered around the corner. 

 

A large truck pulled into the station, parking itself beside theirs. Abigail gulped, hoping that Max had seen them first and hidden. They had both seen what kind of impact the end of the world had had on people and, needless to say, it certainly brought out the worst in some. 

 

Not wanting to take any chances, Abigail stayed put and watched as two men and a teen piled out of the truck. Immediately, they headed towards the parked car. 

 

"Empty," said the teen causing Abigail to sigh in relief. 

 

"Keep an eye out!" Ordered another and, judging by his stance, Abigail gathered he was the leader of their little group. "They might still be here."

 

"Let's just get whatever we can and get out of here," said the last one, already heading inside. 

 

The leader turned to the youngest and pulled out a gun. "Take this."

 

The teen regarded the weapon with unease. "You really think that's necessary?"

 

"We don't know what kind of people we're dealing with." Sensing some hesitance, the man shoved it into the teen's chest. "Just take the goddamn gun."

 

He did but even from where Abigail was hiding, she could make out his hands trembling. She knew she had to be careful. These people seemed hostile and she didn't want to risk getting caught up in their shit. 

 

The gears in her brain churned, trying to figure out a quick and easy way to get to the car without them spotting her. She also had no idea where Max was. She settled on circling around the building and was coming around the final corner when she ran into the youngest of the pack. 

 

Noticing her, he fumbled at his waistband before pulling out the gun. Abigail's hands immediately went up as she tried to appear as unthreatening as possible. 

 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Take it easy, kid." Instead of heading her words, he simply raised the gun even higher causing Abigail to retract her head. "Look, you don't have to do this, okay? Just let me pass and we'll be square."

 

When he made no move to stop her, she took a tentative step forward but paused when he tightened his grip on the gun. 

 

"Hey," she tried again, softening her tone. "I don't want any trouble, and judging by the way you're holding that gun, I think you feel the same. So just drop it and let me go."

 

"Hand over the bag," ordered the boy, catching her off guard. 

 

Abigail stared at him in disbelief causing him to raise his voice. 

  

"Now!"

 

Her eyes narrowed dangerously and while her natural stubbornness wanted her to object, she knew she really had no choice. With him being so scared, she was in even more danger. 

 

"Okay," she conceded, pulling on the strap. The slight movement was enough to cause the jittery boy to tighten his grip again. She wanted to roll her eyes but instead slowed down.

 

"Quickly." He pointed the gun to the ground once it was off. "On the floor."

 

She did as he said.

 

"Now, kick it over."

 

"You don't have to do this," Abigail tried once more. "I left a decent amount of stuff in there for your buddies-" 

 

"I said kick it over!"

 

Her wide eyes looked at the building, hoping that no-one heard him. 

 

Her leg pushed against the bag, sending it in the boy's direction. With the bag now in front of his feet, he bent down to pick it up but instead ended up falling to the floor as someone struck him from behind. 

 

Abigail looked up to see a breathless Max standing above him. He looked even worse for wear now with his clammy skin and an arm wrapped around his stomach. 

 

Grabbing the bag, Max gestured to her. "Let's go." 

 

She wasted no time and followed behind him. They paused to check where the other two men were and noticed that they were still inside. 

 

Nodding at each other, they gunned it towards the car. Max tossed the keys over the roof of it and was just getting in when the others in the store took note of them. Seeing how much of a hurry they were in, they quickly came running out. 

 

Abigail fumbled with the keys as the men split up to look for their last member while the other headed straight for them. With the key in the ignition, she stomped down hard on the acceleration, causing the car to skid as it took off down the road.  

 

She continued driving for ten minutes; constantly checking the rear-view mirror for their truck in the distance. 

 

"You can relax," piped up Max. "They're not following us."

 

She frowned in the mirror. "How do you know?"

 

"I slashed their tyres," he grinned, pulling out his knife. 

 

Abigail locked eyes with him in the mirror and snorted. She shook her head, not expecting any less from him. 

  

"You alright?" He asked, assessing her from his spot in the back.

 

"I'm good," she nodded. "Thanks for that back there. What about you? How you holdin' up?"

 

Grunting, Max laid down and shook his head. "Not too good. I don't think I'm gonna be able to go on much longer."

 

"You will don't worry."

 

He shook his head again and wiped at the abundance of sweat on his face. "No, I really won't." It was silent for a few moments before he spoke up. "Listen, Abigail… this thing is gonna take me. You know it, I know it. It's best that we talk about what we're gonna do."

 

Abigail's grip on the wheel tightened as she narrowed her eyes defiantly. "We're not going to do anything because I'm going to get us to Atlanta."

 

"You saw what happens to those who get bit- shit, we were right there when it happened." He watched her jaw clench in the mirror. "It's unavoidable."

 

"That's not happening to you," said Abigail, shaking her head. "Not on my watch."

 

"Pull over."

 

"No, I have to-"

 

"Abigail!" Her shoulders jumped at the sound of Max's raised voice. It was the first time she had heard it. "Pull the car over."

 

She did, cutting the engine and locking the handbrake before turning in her chair to face him. 

  

"What?"

 

"When shit goes down," began Max. "I need you to be the one that does it."

 

She was shaking her head before he was ever done. "No. No way."

 

"It has to be you!" 

 

"I-I won't. I refuse."

 

"Fine," sighed Max, holding out his hand. "Then give me the gun and I'll do it myself."

 

Abigail swallowed as she kept her eyes locked on his. "I'm all out of ammo."

 

Max's mouth thinned as he eyed her pleadingly. "Abi…" he placed a hand over hers and watched as her jaw clenched tighter. "Please."

 

Abigail's eyes drifted shut as her voice became more desperate. "I-I can fix this, alright. Th-there's a CDC in Atlanta. Just me take you there."

 

"The way things are goin'- I don't think I'm gonna make it all the way to Atlanta. Hell, I don't even know if I'm gonna make it through the night." Licking his lips, Max put up a serious front. "I need you to promise me that you'll do it. Don't leave me to be one of them."

 

The words cut like knives in her chest as she stared back at him, hoping that he would change his mind. Her jaw rolled before she finally gave in and nodded. 

 

Max sighed in relief and released her hand to fall back into his seat. 

 

"Thank you, Abi," he muttered, finally showing her how weak he was feeling.  

 

She stared at his pale and clammy skin and from how hot his hand had been, she knew he was right in believing he didn't have long left. 

 

She just didn't want to accept the truth. 

 

Turning the car back on, Abigail pulled back onto the road and continued driving as Max drifted off to sleep. 

 

/

 

The next couple of hours passed in relative silence. The sun had started going down and they were making good time. Abigail wagered that they would reach Atlanta within another two, maybe less.

 

Max had been in and out of sleep for the first half of the drive; his hallucinations keeping him up but know that he had been out for the last hour, she figured it would be a good time to check on him. 

 

"Hey!" She looked in the mirror to where Max was sleeping with his back to her. "You hungry? I got some Cheez-its if you want them?" 

 

She reached across to the adjacent seat where the bags were and dug around. Her ears picked up on a groan and figured he was waking up. 

  

"Max? You hungry?"

 

Max groaned again causing her to grimace. She knew he would be in pain and decided that food might not have been the best option. 

 

"You want some more water?" Reaching into the bag, she pulled out the half-empty bottle and twisted the cap off with one hand. She held it out behind her, not taking her eyes off of the road. "Here."

 

He didn't reach for it right away, causing her to look around. 

 

"Max," she tried again, this time with more emphasis. 

 

All she got in response was more quiet groaning. Rolling her eyes, she pulled her arm back when a hand locked tightly around her wrist.  

 

The first thing she realized was how cold it was.  

 

A loud snarl filled her ears and she looked back just in time to see pale eyes and teeth leaning forward to bite her. With a frightened yell, she tried to pull her arm away but found that Max's grip was too tight. 

 

Her lungs heaved in a panic as she released the wheel to try and shove him away. With both hands ready, she was quickly able to rip her arm away and looked back only to gasp as the car veered towards the ditch on the side of the road.  

 

Abigail's eyes clenched shut and her arms went up as the car flipped full speed onto its side. She felt her head smack against the door and the sound of the window shattering from the impact. 

 

There was a dull ringing in her ears as she opened her eyes and tried to regain her breath. However, the moment of silence was quickly cut off by another snarl as Max tried to claw at her. 

 

Her heart pounded in her chest as she unclipped her seatbelt and tried to push her door open, all the while keeping her limbs away from Max's grasp. She had a hold on the handle when she felt her leg get pulled down. 

  
Abigail shrieked as Max leaned his head forward to bite her. Feeling her adrenaline kick in, she kicked at him over and over and over again until he finally released her. 

 

Not stopping there, she began aiming her kicks at the front window, hoping that the cracks from the crash would make it easier to shatter. Max's jaw chomped at thin air as his pale hands reached out for her again.

 

Mustering all of her strength, Abigail stomped her boot into the window causing it to shatter. Hurriedly, she swung her legs up and over the dash, crying out as glass pierced her skin. She felt Max's hand brush against her side just as she managed to propel herself out of the car and down the hood. 

 

She dropped like a sack on the ground; her nails digging into the dirt. The adrenaline was beginning to dissipate and she could feel the larger pieces of glass sticking out of her arms and legs. 

 

With a whimper, she gingerly pulled the biggest ones out one-by-one, leaving her hands spotted with blood. Her breathing was sharp and uneven as she sat on the grass with the sound of Max growling in the background. 

 

Clenching her teeth through the pain, Abigail got to her feet and faced the broken window only to see a turned-Max clawing out at her. A shaky hand lifted to her mouth as stared back at him. 

 

Remembering her promise, she slowly reached for her gun. Her vision blurred as she raised it. The cold steel trembled in her hands and Abigail realized she felt a lot like the kid at the gas station. 

 

To try and steady herself, she used two hands and tried to correct her aim but couldn't bring herself to pull the trigger. When she looked at him, all she saw was Max. Living, breathing, annoying Max. Someone who had been by her side since she had arrived in Chicago and stood by her through some dark shit no matter how much she wanted to be alone.

 

The last person she had to lose.

 

A sob erupted from her chest causing her arm to drop to her side. She held the back of her hand against her mouth in an effort to stifle her tears but they just kept coming. She couldn't do this. She couldn't kill him. 

 

_Don't leave me to be one of them._

 

Max's words pounded in her brain like a heavy bass and she knew she couldn't avoid it. It would be so easy for her to walk away and just leave him there like that, but Max is-  _was_ her friend, and she had made a promise. 

 

Taking a deep breath, she raised the gun and aimed at a writing Max. 

 

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking on the last word. 

 

Clenching her jaw, she pulled the trigger and closed her eyes, bracing herself for the shot.

 

But it never came. 

 

Instead of a loud bang, there was a dull click and Abigail's eyes widened at the realization that she actually  _was_ out of ammo. 

 

Abigail released a shaky breath that soon became a shriek as Max began working his way out of the car. Her wide eyes stared in shock before she turned on her heel and headed into the trees. 

 

The sun had set, leaving her surroundings dark and obscure. She could barely see where she was going unless she was right up close. Her hands pushed at branches and her eyes whipped around. She could feel the incline of the ground slipping downwards as she continued running. 

  
Running at full speed, she felt her shoe catch on a tree root, sending her to the ground. She felt a snap of pain as soon as she hit it and knew that it couldn't be good. Caught up in the momentum, her body continued to roll down the hill, catching onto rocks and fallen twigs. 

 

Just before she came to a stop, she felt her shoulder collide with the edge of a large rock and heard a 'pop'. 

 

Tears built up in her eyes at the pain and she grasped onto it tightly. She could already tell that it was dislocated; the sensation not a new thing to her. 

 

Abigail remained laid out on the floor for what felt like forever and stared up at the coverage of trees. Inbetween the gaps, she could make out the stars and the dark blue of the sky. 

  
Her chest heaved and tears trailed down the sides of her head. She was so tired. She hadn't slept in over a day. 

 

Abigail inhaled deeply through her nose, her brow furrowing when smelt smoke. She sniffed again and noticed it again. 

 

Realizing that it could be survivors, she sat up and tried to get to her feet but as she pressed down on her right foot, she yelped in pain. Sucking in another breath, she mustered up whatever strength she had left and followed the smoke. 

 

She winced with every step but carried on until she broke through the bush into a clearing. Her eyes widened at the sight of campfires flickering and groups of people huddled around.

 

Her foot was begging her to stop and her shoulder was aching but she continued to drag them along the gravel. She groaned softly as she stumbled closer to the group. Her head bowed down as a young boy looked up from his dinner. 

 

"Walker!" He yelled, pointing a finger in her direction. 

 

Abigail, not seeing this, frowned at first as she heard frightened voices disperse from the fire. Her leg dragged along the ground as her mouth whimpered once more. 

  

"Everybody get back!" Commanded a man before she heard the click of a shotgun. 

  

"Carl, come here," ordered a woman from nearby. 

 

Footsteps crunched against the gravel as Abigail raised her head to meet a pair of narrowed eyes sitting behind the barrel of a shotgun. Fear coursed through her as she slowly raised a hand. 

 

"Don't shoot…" she begged, causing the man's grip to falter. "Please…"

 

Taking another step, she felt her leg finally give out. She crumbled under the weight of her bad foot as her cheek made contact with stones. 

 

Around her, she heard voices swarm in but they all faded into the darkness. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> she's arrived! next chapter: introductions.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abigail wakes up confused and surrounded by strangers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've made some time changes to the first 2 chapters just so it's more in line with the show's timeline.

The night sky was lit up above them as Abigail and Max wove their way through the build-up of cars. With their bags on their back, they tried to make quick work of getting past the blockage.  

 

"You think we should search inside?" Asked Max, a few steps behind her. Pausing, Abigail looked over her shoulder to where he was standing beside one of the cars. "I'm sure they've got some good stuff."

 

"I don't know," she said, not sold on the idea. "I just wanna get off this road."

 

Max nodded and glanced around. In the 30 or so minutes that they had been walking, they'd been lucky enough to not come across any of the turned. This made Abigail tense as she knew it was bound to happen eventually. 

 

The pair carried on walking, each with their hand positioned close to their weapons. They each had guns but had come to learn that stealth was the best option when it came to avoiding the turned and so carried around knives that they had picked up on their way out of the city. 

 

Abigail's mood soured at the thought. The conditions in Chicago had delayed her for just over a week; precious time that she could have spent getting home to her family.

 

As she silently boiled over these thoughts, Max hung back to observe some of the cars. 

 

He figured that they would be in for a bit of a journey and that, given the uncertainty of how long it would take them to reach Atlanta, he wanted to make sure they had enough resources to get them there. He shone his flashlight into the windows of the packed cars and searched to see what kind of stuff they had. He had no doubt there would be things like food and first-aid kits, perhaps even some weapons. 

 

Stopping at one particular vehicle, Max spotted a few large bottles of water sitting on the floor of the passenger side. His mouth dried at the sight of them, noting how they only had one much smaller bottle left to share between the two. After escaping the city, they had limited supplies with them meaning that they would have to eventually start scavenging and now, with a boatload of cars around them, seemed like the best opportunity.

 

Checking up ahead, he saw Abigail continuing on still relatively close and decided to search the car despite her previous concerns. 

 

She would thank him for it later. 

 

Gently, so as to not make too much noise, he opened the passenger door and loaded the bottles into his backpack. Leaning in, he began searching the glovebox for any weapons or snacks. 

 

Meanwhile, up ahead, Abigail began to notice the cars lessening. 

 

"Hey, Max I think we're getting close-" She said, looking over her shoulder only to see darkness. Her eyes flicked around in the dark worriedly as she quietly called out. "Max?" 

 

She waited for a response but when there was none, she slowly retraced her steps. 

 

"Max?" She whispered, feeling her agitation grow at the fact that he had decided to pull a disappearing act. 

 

She waved her flashlight over the cars and squinted, trying to make him out. 

 

"Agh!" 

 

A cold shiver ran down Abigail's spine at the sound of Max's pained yell. Pinpointing where it came from, she bolted in that direction, hearing another. 

 

Her flashlight bounced around as she neared where he was and her feet came to a horrified stop at the sight of Max fighting off one of the turned. With jittery fingers, she felt around her waist for her gun as another advanced upon her friend. 

 

Awkwardly, she aimed both the gun and flashlight at the nearing creature. She pulled the trigger and watched its shoulder bounce back as the bullet ripped through it. 

  
Cursing, she aimed again, this time catching the side of its skull. Abigail blew out a breath of frustration and shifted her arm to the left, watching the bullet finally crash through bone and brain until the turned was dead on the ground. 

 

At the same time, Max managed to grab his knife and bury it in the skull of his own before shoving it off of him. His breathing was ragged as Abigail ran to him. 

 

She crouched down and shone the light on him only to gasp at what she saw. 

 

"Max…"

 

The man's jaw clenched tightly as his hands moved to cover the bite on his midriff. Now panicked, Abigail lifted up his shirt to see the nasty wound under the light, her lips tightening when she did. 

 

"Goddamnit," said Max, more so to himself than her. 

 

"Come on," said Abigail, putting his arm around her shoulder. She felt him use her body as a pillar to get to his feet only to almost double over at the sharp pain. 

 

Max hissed as she steadied him. "Shit." 

 

  
Abigail paused for a moment before slowly helping him along. "We're not too far away from the end."

 

Max nodded all the while cursing under his breath and pressing down on the bite. 

 

"Is it bleeding?" Asked Abigail, trying to hurry him along. She didn't want to stay out in the open much longer. 

 

Max shook his head. "No, just bitten. Hurt like hell though." 

 

"What the hell happened back there? I told you not to check the cars." 

 

"I know. I'm sorry. I thought we could use some more supplies when that bastard snuck up on me," explained Max before wincing. 

 

"We could've figured that out after we got off of this godforsaken road," said Abigail, releasing a short sigh. "Come on." 

 

It took a bit longer but eventually, the pair managed to make it back to where Abigail had seen the end. Her eyes darted around, trying to find a car in a position good enough that they could get away. 

 

"Abi..." 

 

Frowning, Abigail's attention turned to where a pained Max was gesturing. Her eyes widened at the sight of more walkers coming out of the treeline. 

 

"Oh shit. They must've heard the gunshots," she said, picking up the pace. 

 

Much to their luck, it wasn't too difficult finding a car near enough to the end and when she checked, she found the keys left discarded on the floor of the vehicle. Breathing a small sigh of relief, she then began helping Max into the back seat. 

 

Closing the door on his feet, she raced to the front. 

  

"Please work," she prayed, turning the ignition a few times until the sweet purr of the engine coming to life filled her ears. Smiling slightly, she put it in drive and maneuvered her way around the remaining cars till they were driving away from the oncoming hoard. 

 

Once they had reached a comfortable distance, Abigail adjusted the rear-view mirror to see Max laying across the back seat. There was a tight knot in his brow as he pressed a ginger hand to his midriff. 

 

"It's okay," she told him, gripping the wheel tightly. "We're gonna make it."

 

Max simply nodded despite the thoughts running through his mind and released a terse breath.  

 

//

 

The pain was the first thing she noticed upon regaining consciousness. 

 

The throbbing, sharp pain. 

 

Open and shut her eyelids would go as she struggled to stay awake. 

 

She was so exhausted. 

 

Above her, she saw silhouettes and faces blurred by her hazy vision but when she tried to speak, she noticed a rag in her mouth. She didn't have enough time to think about it before she felt someone trying to tear her arm off. Her back arched off of whatever surface they'd laid her on before being pushed down by another, sturdier pair of hands. 

 

It seemed like the sanctuary she had been hoping for was actually some hellish cult full of sadists wanting to inflict pain on the woman stupid enough to stumble into their camp. 

 

The muffled voices were back but she didn't catch a lick of what they were saying, too caught up in the pain radiating in her shoulder. She felt the offender twisting it and felt ligament scrape bone before it popped back into its socket. 

 

Almost instantly, a large amount of the pain began to subside, leaving only numbness. 

 

Her chest heaved as she blinked at the person holding her down. The tears in her eyes kept her from making out their face but all she could see were brown curls and a furrowed brow. 

 

She saw his mouth moving and figured he must have been trying to talk to her but her brain had another idea, sending her into unconsciousness once again. 

 

//

 

Abigail felt something warm on her cheek. Sunlight.  

 

She could feel herself waking up and internally grumbled that she had forgotten to close the curtains before she went to bed. Once she felt sunlight, she could never get back to sleep. 

  
Groaning slightly, she furrowed her brow and tried to raise the covers over her head only to stop when she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. 

 

Then her mind ticked. 

 

Her eyes snapped open instantly and she raised her head in an attempt to sit up when a gentle voice stopped her. 

 

"Careful, sweetie," said the woman as her hand gripped Abigail's uninjured one with the lowest amount of force possible. 

 

Abigail stared at her with wide-eyes, watching as the woman called over her shoulder. 

 

"Shane! Dale! She's awake!" 

 

The dark-skinned woman regarded her like a mother would a wounded child all the while making sure she didn't move. 

 

"Where am I?" Demanded Abigail, her voice not sounding nearly as forceful as she wanted it to. Instead, it came out raspy and weak. 

 

Closing her eyes, she tried to remember what had happened before she blacked out. 

 

She remembered the campfire and the smoke and the little boy who had yelled at her as well as the man with the shotgun. 

 

The woman shushed her and stroked her thumb over her naked arm; an alarming piece of information. 

 

"It's okay, honey. Don't you worry, you're gonna be just fine but your arm is still healing so you might not wanna move too much."

 

Still on edge, Abigail kept her guard up as she heard a door open and boots step inside what seemed to be an RV. Her eyes whipped to the side where two men quickly came into view. 

 

One was elderly and slipped off his bucket hat to reveal bushy brows, grey hair, and a matching beard. The other was younger with curly brown hair and a tall, wide frame. They both scrutinized her, though for different reasons, causing Abigail to shift under their stares. When she felt a snag in her foot, she released a small grunt of pain.

 

"Careful," said the not so old one. Abigail's eyes narrowed slightly, placing him as the man who had held her down. "Your ankle's pretty banged up. Might wanna go easy on it."

 

She kept quiet, not sure what to think of these strangers yet. The longer she stared at him, the more it began to click in her brain about what they had been doing before; not torturing her, but  **helping** her. 

 

The man sighed at her lack of response; his fingers hooking onto the loops of his cargo pants. Taking his eyes off of her, he shared a look with the other two, a wordless conversation passing between them.  

 

"I'll go get you some water, sweetie," said the woman as she rose from her seat and followed the grey man out. 

 

With the door shut behind them, the curly-haired man gestured to the chair the woman had been using. 

  

"May I?" He asked, raising his brow. 

 

Abigail's throat was too dry to speak so she simply nodded. He took a seat with a quiet sigh and ran a hand over his hair. He rested his forearms on his knees just as the woman returned with a bottle of water in hand. 

 

She passed it over with a warm smile before quickly leaving again.  

 

Not wasting any time, Abigail twisted the cap off and began to chug it down, her chest falling in silent bliss. Around the width of the bottle, she saw the man watching her with thinly-veiled amusement and consciously slowed down.  

 

"I'm Shane," he said as she saw off the rest of the water. 

 

Placing it to the side, she met the man's eyes again. 

  

"Where am I?"

 

He didn't seem fazed by her question and simply gestured to the small window above her head. 

 

"In a man named Dale's RV at a survivor's camp just outside of Atlanta," he told her, noticing the surprise that flickered across her face. 

 

Just outside of Atlanta. That meant she wasn't much further away from her family. 

 

Her free hand bunched itself up in the thin sheet covering her body, leaving her feeling vulnerable in the man's presence. She also took note of the homemade sling keeping her arm against her chest. 

 

"And my clothes?" She asked, using her uninjured hand to pull the sheet up more. 

 

Shane's eyes remained on her face. "We had Jacqui look over you just to make sure you weren't bit."

 

She immediately felt a bit better knowing it was just a woman and nodded. 

 

"We thought you were a walker at first," he said, the thought causing him to laugh slightly. "Luckily you spoke up otherwise we probably wouldn't be having this conversation right now." 

 

"Walker?" She frowned, trying the strange word out on her tongue. "Is that what you call the ones who've turned?"

 

Shane nodded. "Yeah, why what do you call 'em?"

 

Abigail shook her head, indicating that it didn't matter. Her eyes moved around the place, taking in all of the décors of the RV before turning her attention back to Shane who seemed to be watching her curiously. It seemed like second nature to him and she figured that getting a read on people was something he did a lot before the world went to shit. 

 

"How long was I out for?" She asked. 

 

Shane checked the watch on his wrist and shrugged. "About 14 hours. It's midday now. We popped your shoulder back into place but it looks like you've twisted your ankle," he said, gesturing to where it lay wrapped up and elevated on two pillows. "We tried our best to make some sort of cast but I don't think you'll be doing a whole lot for a while."

  

"Thank you," said Abigail, meaning it. 

 

It seemed like she had made the right choice stumbling into their camp. 

 

Shane nodded and rubbed his hands together. "Now… you mind tellin' me what happened to you?"

 

At the question, Abigail's eyes dropped to her lap giving Shane the idea that whatever it was, it wasn't great. 

 

She remembered the chill of Max's hand grabbing her wrist and swerving off of the road. 

 

Her empty gun. 

 

Running into the forest. 

 

Swallowing, she realized Shane was still waiting for an answer. 

 

"I was… I was with a friend," she said, her voice quieter than before. "He got bit."

 

Shane's head fell forward before he glanced up at her. "I'm real sorry to hear that." A small silence passed between the two until he stood up. "I'll have Carol bring around your clothes and some food."

 

Abigail frowned in confusion. "You're letting me stay?"

 

The corner of Shane's mouth quirked upwards as he eyed her. "I know it's probably not ideal but you're gonna be stuck here for a while, at least until your ankle is healed up. I'm sure Dale'll have some books you could read to pass the time."

 

Having not expected them to be so hospitable, Abigail's shock-filled eyes tracked his movements to the door. 

  

"Abigail," she said right before he left her line of sight. Pausing, Shane looked back at her. "My name's Abigail."

 

He considered the information for a moment before bowing his head slightly.

 

"Pleasure to meet you, Abigail," he said, leaving her alone to take in her surroundings. 

 

Judging by the interior of the RV, she gathered that it was a classic Winnebago. She had always liked the idea of buying one and taking her family on a road trip. At the thought of them, the corner's of her mouth slanted. 

 

Her family.

 

She had no idea what had happened to them. There had been so much chaos in the wake of the epidemic and she had never made her flight. Shortly after the CDC put out their statement, borders and airports around the world had begun shutting down. Even domestic flights were affected, regardless of whether people already had tickets, all in an attempt to reduce the rate of infection.

 

How pointless.  

 

But she remembered what Shane had said - that they were outside of Atlanta - and felt a sliver of hope that maybe she could still be reunited with them. But it wouldn't be for a while. At least not with her ankle being the way that it was. 

 

She had experience with this kind of injury, having sprained it in a similar fashion when she was younger and knew that she would be doing little to nothing for at least 4 weeks. 

 

Disappointed, Abigail glanced in the direction of the door as she heard it swing open. She craned her neck forward and saw a thin, timid-looking woman with cropped hair step forward. In her hands, folded neatly and looking a hell-of-a-lot cleaner were her clothes. 

 

"I thought you might want these back," said the woman as she placed them down on the bed. With nothing else to hold onto, her fingers fidgeted nervously. "I tried my best to get the blood stains out."

 

"Thank you," said Abigail, not believing how kind everybody had been so far. "Really."

 

The woman smiled, seemingly not used to praise; the thought leaving a sad impression on Abigail. 

 

"I'm Abigail," she said, offering out her good hand. "You must be Carol?"

 

The woman nodded and shook her hand so lightly Abigail wasn't even sure she was holding it. 

 

"I'm sorry if I gave you a scare."

 

Carol waved her off. "It's fine. I'm just glad Shane and the others got to you in time."

 

"Me too," admitted Abigail, eyeing her bandaged wounds for a moment. 

 

Sensing the end of their short conversation, Carol ducked her head and took a step back. 

 

"I'll let you get some rest. You must be exhausted what with the day you've had."

 

"Thank you," smiled Abigail. "And thank you again for the clothes. You really didn't have to."

 

The quirk of Carol's mouth grew as she gave a meek shrug. "It's no bother."

 

Within a second she was gone, leaving Abigail to release a sigh and pull the pile of clothes over to her lap. She raised a brow at the pile before surveying her injuries. 

 

"Now," she said to herself. "How the hell do I get these on?"

 

//

 

Carol had been right in believing that she was exhausted. Not soon after she had left and Abigail had begun the difficult task of redressing herself, had she fallen asleep. 

 

But when she awoke this time, the inside of the RV was a dark blue, implying that she had been out for a good while. 

 

To the right of her, a night light had been kept on. Abigail also noticed a plate of food sitting on the nearby counter alongside a small pile of books she assumed belonged to Dale. Feeling her stomach grumble, she gingerly sat up and reached for the plate. 

 

It looked to be some sort of stew with canned corn and a fork. The bottom of the plate was still a little warm and the smell was good enough for her to dig right in. It didn't take her long to clean the plate, enjoying the taste of actual meat in what felt like forever. 

 

Setting it aside, she carefully swung her leg over the bed as the bucket-hat man from earlier came in.

 

"Oh," he said, pausing once he saw her. "How're you feeling?"

 

Abigail tried her best to appear friendly as she smiled. "Better, much better thank you."

 

The man nodded and waved his bucket hat. "I'm Dale."

 

"Oh," she said, realizing that this was the man kind enough to let her borrow his RV and read his books. She suddenly felt a little guilty about taking a bed away from an older man. "I'm Abigail. Sorry for invading your space."

 

"Oh, don't worry about that," he laughed, enhancing the crinkles by his eyes. "You need it more than I do. I left some books out for you, I don't know if you saw."

 

"I did, thank you. They will definitely be put to good use," she promised, causing Dale to grin. 

 

"Glad to hear it. I'm usually stationed on the roof for lookout so if you ever need anything, just holler."

 

Keeping that in mind, Abigail nodded. "I will."

 

"Oh, and bathroom is just in there if you need it," he said, gesturing to a door on her right. 

 

Nodding again, Abigail watched as he rummaged through his belongings before heading out. Alone again, she took a deep breath and used her arms to push herself up off of the bed whilst keeping her injured leg off of the floor. 

 

It wasn't easy but thankfully the bathroom Dale had been kind enough to point out was only two steps - or in her case, hops - away.

 

After relieving herself, she found that she wasn't very tired anymore. With the help of the counters, she maneuvered herself down the RV towards the small table and window. She peered out to see much of what she had seen the night before. 

 

It was dark out with at least two campfires burning. Around each of them, Abigail made out the silhouettes of the community; not having expected to see so many. She couldn't quite gather a certain number but knew that there were more than a few families. 

 

At one campfire, she saw Shane sat beside a woman with long hair and a boy nestled under his mother's arm. Her mood saddened as she witnessed the family smiling over their dinner. For what it mattered, it seemed that most everyone was in high spirits and if she didn't know any better, she would never think the apocalypse had hit. 

 

When Max and herself had slipped out of the city, they weren't sure what to expect. They had lost contact with the outside world, they didn't know how widespread the infection was, they didn't know how the attitudes of civilization had changed but they had decided to assume the worst.

 

Her decision to stumble into these peoples' camp had been a desperate and - after the scene at the gas station - almost idiotic one. Luckily for her, it had paid off. 

 

She wasn't sure how long or how far this hospitality would extend but, just for the time being, she was one of them. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> let me know what you thought!

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! chapters will begin to lengthen as the story progresses.


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